it is with great pleasure that I sit down this afternoon to answer your kind letters that I received from you Dated Nov 23 and one Nov 27 and how very glad to hear from you my health is as good as ever and [??] I would like to be at on Christmas and Newyearsfurstrate (firstrate) and have a good Sleigh ride for it is so long since i have seen any snow but I cant say that I am sick of soldiering yet but still they dont get me again Mr
Brower (Brower (Mr.)) got a letter from home that I was so sick of soldiering and all this and that and it makes me mad. I wished that you had not sent my stuff in his box for he is the biggest Cheat there is he has a quarrel here with the boys every day he keeps on shoe making as usual and makes money like smoke he Charges an awful high price for his work I have not got the box yet but I expect it in a day or two when the quartermaster

PAGE IMAGE gets back tell Pa (Russell (Mr.)) that I would like to come and help him butcher furstrate (firstrate) ma (Russell (Mrs.)) write and tell me whether Pa (Russell (Mr.)) is comeing (coming) back and if he haint (hasn't) write and tell me some of the boys was telling that he had got his discharge write and tell me if that is so Well ma (Russell (Mrs.)) when I get my knapsack and stuff I will keep it untill next spring and then I am a going to send hom all of my stuff wollen (woolen) blanket and rubber and a new over coat for Delly (Delly) to wear and something for Warny (Warny) I dont know what yet how does the watch run and well ma (Russell (Mrs.)) you wrote to me not to play card nor drink whisky not to take the first step towards them [tan? "town"?] things I will give you my word and honor not to take the first step Ma (Russell (Mrs.)) who told you that I drink whisky and all this all the whisky I drank is when I was sick and the Dr orderd (ordered) it to cure me when i was so sick to camp[banks?] and that is all I have drank folksPAGE IMAGE getting around there so now days that is haint (hasn't) nothing for them to set down and write a Damn lie about other folks bussiness (business) haint (haven't) they ma (Russell (Mrs.)) I think so at least for every time old Brower (Brower) gets a letter he is always [blowing?] about after folks that I send home so much sugar coffee and all this and he cant send a bit [??] ma (Russell (Mrs.)) you know that I haint (haven't) done no such dont you no (know) more than to send the overcoat and such stuff and that was my own and it is paid for and I told him it was a lie well ma (Russell (Mrs.)) when my knapsack comes i will have my bible to read again i did not take it with me for fear that I would loose (lose) it and i wouldt (wouldn't) loose (lose) it for nothing in the world I have had to borrow one from the boys untill mine comes tell pa (Russell (Mr.)) that I and William
[Materson] ([Materson], William) is a going to send his things as quick as they come well Pa (Russell (Mr.)) we draw soft bread now ten days out of four and like pretty well nowPAGE IMAGE againthe boys have all been out of hard tack so they all most starved and had to pay 15 cent a pound for them I tell you we have [slln? "stolen"?] some. Pretty hard times since you left us but the boys think that I stand it about as well as the rest Dr
Hutchings (Hutchings (Doctor)) called in here the other morning and he said does your pa get along and I told him that you was on the gain the last I heard from you and he told me he would bet that i would stand it as long as any the rest of them he said he never see a fellow stand it as well as I do he expected I would have been discharged long long ago I told him that I guesed (guessed) that I could stand it nine months longer and it would take a smart man to get me again and he went out a laughing and said no more well ma (Russell (Mrs.)) I cant thing (think) of any thing else to write about so I must close tell pa (Russell (Mr.)) he must write to me and I will answer him so good by for this time from your son who has not got but little over 9 months more to serve haint (aren't) you glad I am so good by I will be a good boy that long i know dont you think so ma (Russell (Mrs.))
truly yours Leroy
J
Russell (Russell, Leroy J.)